shaved; shaved or shaven
ˈshā-vən 
; shaving
; shaving
1
a
: to remove a thin layer from
b
: to cut off in thin layers or shreds : slice
c
: to cut off closely
2
a
: to sever the hair from (the head or another part of the body) close to the roots
b
: to cut off (hair or beard) close to the skin
3
4
: to come close to or touch lightly in passing
1
: to cut off hair or beard close to the skin
2
: to proceed with difficulty : scrape
Synonyms
Examples of shave in a Sentence
Verb
She cut herself while shaving her legs.
The sheep were all shaved.
He shaves every morning before breakfast.
I cut myself shaving this morning.
She shaves her dog's fur in the summer.
He shaved some butter from the container.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bailey Richards, People.com, 12 Jan. 2025
The Biden administration offered 400,000 acres after shaving off one million acres from the original boundaries to avoid areas crucial to the polar bear and Porcupine caribou populations.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Malia Griggs, Glamour, 2 Jan. 2025
Strain off the ice into a cocktail or coupe glass, and garnish with a shave of fresh nutmeg.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shave 
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show current usage.
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Verb
The first clip the star shared was of his hair being partially shaved off from behind, then a video of the front of his forehead with a new, marked line indicating where the transplant would be.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 12 Jan. 2025
The Biden administration offered 400,000 acres after shaving off one million acres from the original boundaries to avoid areas crucial to the polar bear and Porcupine caribou populations.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
On top of a reusable razor and a cute stand, this set comes with a gel for dry shaving and five replacement blades, ensuring many smooth shaves to come.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 2 Jan. 2025
Strain off the ice into a cocktail or coupe glass, and garnish with a shave of fresh nutmeg.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shave
Dictionary Entries Near shave
Cite this Entry
“Shave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shave. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shave
1 of 2 verb
shaved; shaved or shaven
ˈshā-vən
; shaving
; shaving
1
a
: to cut off in thin layers or shreds
b
: to cut off closely
2
a
: to cut the hair from (as the head) close to the roots
b
: to cut off hair or beard close to the skin
3
: to come close to or touch lightly in passing
the tire shaved the curb
shave
2 of 2 noun1
: a tool for shaving or cutting thin slices
2
: an act or process of shaving especially the beard
3
: a narrow escape
a close shave
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